Servicing a mechanical watch: how often and what it costs
A mechanical watch needs a full service every five to seven years, costing between three hundred and fifty and nine hundred euros depending on the calibre, and neither the legal nor the commercial guarantee covers that maintenance.
gelisted editorial team · Updated 15 August 2026
The short version
- The recommended service interval is 5 to 7 years.
- A full service costs 350 € to 900 €, more on a chronograph.
- The legal warranty in Spain runs 3 years from delivery.
- Replacing the gaskets alone costs 60 € to 150 €.
A mechanical movement is a machine with hundreds of parts running continuously on a film of oil that dries out. That is the whole argument for servicing it.
What a service involves
Complete disassembly of the movement, cleaning of every component, replacement of worn parts, gaskets and lubricants, reassembly, regulation of the rate in several positions, and a water resistance test. It takes a watchmaker several hours of bench time, which is why the price sits where it does and why a same day offer is not a service.
| Item | Interval | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Full service, simple calibre | 5 to 7 years | 350 to 600 € |
| Full service, complex calibre | 5 to 7 years | 600 to 900 € |
| Chronograph or complication | 5 to 7 years | over 1,200 € |
| Gasket replacement and pressure test | 2 to 3 years | 60 to 150 € |
| Water resistance test alone | annual | 20 to 50 € |
| Legal warranty | 3 years | from delivery |
| Commercial guarantee | 2 to 5 years | manufacturer |
| Rate tolerance, standard calibre | minus 10 to plus 20 s a day |
What the guarantees cover
The legal warranty covers lack of conformity for 3 years from delivery, with a presumption during the first 2 that the defect existed at purchase. The manufacturer's commercial guarantee adds terms but can never reduce the legal position. Neither covers normal wear, impacts, water entry through an open crown, a worn strap, a scratched crystal, or periodic servicing.
Rate tolerance is not a fault
A mechanical movement does not keep quartz time and should not be expected to. Factory tolerances typically run from minus 10 to plus 20 seconds a day, and a chronometer certified calibre sits between minus 4 and plus 6. Deviation within those bands is not a defect and gives no right to a warranty repair. Outside them, it does.
A watch that has drifted out of tolerance is usually telling you the oils have dried, which is the signal that a service is due.
Protecting the guarantee
Keep the invoice, which evidences the delivery date, and the stamped guarantee card. Do not open the case outside an authorised service, since a badly seated gasket voids the water resistance and the cover that goes with it. And keep the record of every intervention: a complete service history raises resale value by 10 to 20 per cent on higher end pieces.
Frequently asked
+How often should a mechanical watch be serviced?
Every five to seven years, sooner if worn daily or exposed to salt water.
+What does a service cost?
Three hundred and fifty to nine hundred euros, and over 1,200 € on chronographs and complications.
+Is servicing covered by the guarantee?
No. Neither the legal warranty nor the commercial guarantee covers periodic maintenance.
+What rate deviation is normal?
Minus 10 to plus 20 seconds a day, and minus 4 to plus 6 on a chronometer certified calibre.
+Does a service history matter?
Yes. A complete record raises resale value by 10 to 20 per cent on higher end pieces.
Sources
- 1Boletín Oficial del Estado, BOE (August 2026)
- 2Instituto Nacional de Estadística, INE (August 2026)